


What if

by Chasermist



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Amnesia, F/F, Post-Season/Series 03, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-07 12:53:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20817596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chasermist/pseuds/Chasermist
Summary: What if the price to save Nicole's life isn't Julian's powers? What if instead, she loses a part of herself? How will the Earp team handle this?





	1. What do you do when you wake up empty?

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome guys, gals and non-binary pals. This is my first fic ever. Firstly, this is inspired by Superhaught's AU on Youtube. I hope this lives up to their hopes of this story. There are a few differences between this fic and their video but I don't want to spoil too much. Secondly, as already mentioned, this is my first fic and my first written story so please be mild with the critiques. I am not native so my English is probably not perfect but I did my best. Thirdly, this chapter describes most of 3x12 in this universe so I hope it is not too boring to read. If it is, please bear with me, it will become more original. To conclude, have fun reading and I hope I don't disappoint.  
p.s. I am not creative with titles but it might change if I think of something better. I am not satisfied with it but I kinda wanted to have it out here.

‘Fuck, that hurts like hell.’ Before she can process what stabbed her, she quickly turns towards who stabbed her and shoots. There are still more coming, and she just must keep on shooting or else both of them really will die. So, she keeps on shooting until the last one lies motionless on the floor.

Nicole finally takes a look at the side. It hurts worse than it looks and she can feel her body shutting down because of the blood loss.

The front door opens and all her senses are alert again until she realizes it's Mercedes Gardner in a pink dress.

Nicole tries to focus on the conversation happening between Kate and Mercedes but all she can think about is Waverly and how she should be at her side right now.

Waverly has been through a lot. First feeling neglected and almost hated by the team because of Jolene and now she has to make a very big decision, sacrificing herself to save everyone from Bulshar or keep fighting and hope to find another way to defeat Bulshar.

Nicole's her rock and she feels like she should be with her girlfriend right now. So that's what she does, she says goodbye to Kate and Mercedes and starts her walk towards the Homestead.

Her side starts to hurt more when she's walking. She walks about half a mile before she collapses on the ground and before she drifts out of consciousness she recognizes the man standing right beside her.

'Why does it have to be him?' That is her last thought.

* * *

Waverly is walking into her room, trying for the third time to reach Nicole. Again, no answer. 'What the hell is going on? Why doesn't she answer her phone? Is something wrong?'

Before she can start panicking, someone clears their throat. She startles and looks up from her phone to see Bobo. In his hands, there is a photo book from her bookshelf. In it are the few pictures she has left from her childhood. Most of them are without her in it, from before she was born but she still kept the book there. Just because it had Wynonna and her mama in it. Bobo starts talking, causing Waverly to snap out of her thoughts.

“For years, I was certain that Ward didn’t deserve this life, this home… You, my angel. And now I’m sure of it.” Closing the book, he seems lost in thought before he looks up to Waverly. “You met your father? Your real father?”

Being sceptical about his intention, Waverly avoids the question and asks her questions instead.

“Are you here to help us?”

“Even if I wanted to…” His cough interrupting his sentence. However, instead of just the general slime coming out of his mouth, Bobo makes a show of letting the dirt fall to the ground.

“I’m of him.” He finishes his sentence before standing up and moving to the bed Waverly was sitting on.

“I’m calling in my favour, Waverly.”

Waverly is astonished and lets it show. “A favour? A favour after all you’ve done to our family?”

Bobo ignores her and continues. “When the time comes, I want you to set me free.”

Julian walks in before she can answer the odd request from Bobo. This seems to happen a lot, Waverly realises, something interrupting her thoughts.

“Angel boy, it's been a long time and now you're back and ready to take credit for everything this girl has become all on her own," Bobo says accusingly.

"We both know the best parts of Waverly came from her mother."

Before Bobo can reply, he starts coughing again.

"You changed," says Julian. "You gave up your free will. I can't save you now. But I can end it." He offers.

"Thanks, but I have already chosen my exit strategy." Bobo glances to Waverly before leaving the room.

Julian walks closer to Waverly with a concerned face. "Nicole's okay."

Waverly starts to panic. "What? Was she not okay? Is she not okay?!"

"I used everything in my power to heal her." He takes off his ring and gives it to Waverly. "Bulshar's brought the fight to us."

At that exact moment, a horn sounds over the Homestead.

They rush downstairs and Waverly grabs her weapon.

The entire battle is a blur of shots firing and people screaming but the only thing her mind is really focused on is Nicole. She might not be dying anymore but there always were consequences. The only thing is what was it this time?

What she does notice is Wynonna forced over a block of wood, seemingly waiting until Bulshar or one of his minions kills her. She screams and a few moments later, Julian slashes his newfound sword through the back of the beekeeper holding the chainsaw. There’s a dialogue that Waverly can’t hear and keeps watching when Bobo takes the sword. Bulshar whips his arm into the air and Julian falls on his knees. Bobo charges towards him but just before the blade hits him between his shoulder blades, his wings spread out and Julian flies away.

Without giving herself time to think about what had just happened, Waverly runs outside as she sees Bobo and Doc beginning to fight. Bobo ends up in front of her and Waverly does the only thing she can think of: ending Bobo, hopefully once and for all.

Bulshar's men retreat and when they're gone, a deafening silence falls over the Homestead. The battle has finished and they don't know what to do next. Until Wynonna starts towards the woods where she knows Bulshar will have gone, the revenants closely behind.

The only thing on Waverly's mind is Nicole. She runs to Doc and he tells her she had stayed in the barn while the battle was going on.

"Be careful around Nicole though. She went through a lot in the last few hours." Doc gives her a sad look before walking away. Waverly doesn’t know what he meant but she doesn’t stop to let herself think about it.

She opened the barn door and looked inside to see her girlfriend sitting on a hay bale with her back to the door, lost in thought. She looked fine without any wounds that Waverly can see.

She forgets what Doc said and launches at her girlfriend. She hugs her from behind and starts to worry when she feels Nicole stiffen up in her arms. She moves back to let Nicole turn around. What she hears next breaks her heart.

"Uhm... Hello. I'm Nicole Haught. Though, you probably know that." She looks down with a sad look. Her hand moves towards her neck and she looks very uncomfortable and confused. It would have been cute if Waverly wasn't very confused as well.

"Nicole? Do you know my name?" Waverly whispers just loud enough so that Nicole could hear her.

Nicole shakes her head and Waverly's heart breaks all over again.

Nicole can see it written on her face and even though she has no idea who the woman in front of her is, she reaches forward and hugs her tight against her chest.

"I am not going to say that it is okay. I am just saying it will be." Nicole whispers.

With those words the dam breaks and Waverly's crying, being hugged by someone who means so much to her but doesn't remember her in the slightest.

Before the battle

Nicole is breathing heavily, lying on multiple hay bales. She feels a sharp pain originating from her side and her hands are covered in blood. She hears two people talking.

“I could fix this.” Someone says hesitantly.

“Could? She is the love of your daughter’s life!” Another person shouts back.

“There will be a price to pay.”

“There always is.” The second voice mixed with a third.

Her hand is moved away from the wound and before she can process what is happening, the pain quickly subsided and her breath starts to even out. A hand is put on her head.

“You did it.”

She opens her eyes and sees someone staring back at her.

"How did I get here?" Nicole says hoarsely.

"Doc found you on the side of the road and brought you here." The woman points and turns to the man standing in the doorway. "Can you get Waverly? She's somewhere inside the Homestead."

Before he could respond, a man left to Nicole starts to stand up. "I'll go." And walks out of the barn.

Nicole is very confused and looks back at the woman kneeling over her.

"Who are you guys? And who's Waverly?"

That was apparently the wrong thing to say as the wide smile left the woman changing in a frown and then looking worried.

“Do you know who you are?” She asked carefully.

Nicole found the question very odd but answered anyway. “Yeah, I’m Nicole Haught. I just graduated from the police academy a few months ago in Toronto.”

The woman frowned again. “Have you ever heard of Purgatory?”

“You mean the world between heaven and hell?” Then she remembered something. “Wait, isn’t that a town near Calgary? I think that’s where I am starting work in a few weeks.” She then added a nod when she remembered that she was right.

“Okay this is probably going to sound very weird but you are in Purgatory and have been for over a year."

"What?!" Nicole just but yells and starts to get up. The woman beside her flinches slightly and puts a hand on Nicole’s shoulder, stopping her movement.

"Relax. I'll explain. My name is Wynonna and that's Doc." She points towards the cowboy in the doorway. He tips his hat. "You've been working as a Purgatory police deputy for about a year and have just been promoted to sheriff."

Wynonna stops and looks like she is doubting to resume her story.

Before she can decide, a horn goes off in the distance. Wynonna and Doc run out of the barn and leave Nicole alone in the barn.

There's a silence and then gunshots. Nicole wonders how she ended up here. What is her life like?

The last thing she remembers before today was an argument with her parents. They are not supportive of her being a cop and when she told her she was planning to move to a small town in the middle of nowhere, Canada, they were less than excited. That had also been the last straw and she had decided for herself that she was not going to talk to them ever again.

And here she is, lying in a barn while it sounds like some major battle was going on outside.

She sits up and takes a look at her surroundings. It's a small barn but looked somewhat cosy like someone lived here for a while but left.

She turns around and she’s someone walking behind the barn. She tries looking through it but can’t see anyone or anything at all. Wanting to know what is going on, she moves around but when she can’t see anything else without being in a line of fire, she moves back to a hay bale and gets lost in her thoughts again.

How did she meet these people? From what she has seen, they are not your average small-town people and definitely have some secrets. Did she know them? Were they close enough that they told her? It looked like Wynonna was more than relieved to find out she was still alive, so maybe they were friends of some sorts.

She is so lost in thought that she doesn't notice the gunshots have stopped and someone has been walking into the barn. That's until she feels arms wrapping around her waist and feeling someone hugging her so tightly as if they want to make sure she was alive and to never let go.

That’s how Nicole has ended up here, feeling guilty as hell for something that was out of her control with someone, who she can’t remember, crying in her arms.

After what seemed like an eternity and no time at all, the girl pulls away. She has puffy red eyes and a dripping nose.

“I’m sorry,” she says. “This probably is very weird for you. I’m Waverly.” Just like Wynonna, she looks like she has more to say but doubting if she should.

“Whatever it is you want to say, you can tell me.” Nicole smiles as reassuring as she can.

“It’s just… You are very important to me and uhm… It’s hard to process that you are not the same person as I know.”

Nicole knows Waverly is still keeping something from her but she can’t blame her. She can’t imagine what she would do if someone she was close to her in the way Waverly says they were would forget her. She just wishes she could do something to make Waverly not look so heartbroken.

Suddenly, Waverly stands up muttering that she’s sorry and walks out of the barn. And Nicole sits there thinking of some way that she can help Waverly.

Waverly walks out of the barn trying to process what just happened. The woman that she loved had forgotten her. She has no idea what has happened or how it happened, all she knows is that Nicole, her girlfriend and her rock, had no clue who she was. What did she remember? Waverly wants to know but not right now. She can’t handle looking into her lover’s eyes and see no recognition whatsoever.

The only thing she wants to do is curl up and cry the nightmare of reality away. But she knows Wynonna is out there in the woods fighting Blushar and she knows Wynonna needs her right now.

Wynonna has been on her lowest low the past month and now with what is probably going to be the final battle with Bulshar coming their way, she is going to need all the help she can get.

So, Waverly decides to put her trouble aside for just a few more hours and goes to find Wynonna. She runs towards the woods and finally finds her laying in the snow looking at the sky with nobody around.

“Wynonna! Where are the other revenants? What happened?” Waverly looks around, trying to find any indication of what had happened.

She reaches Wynonna and notices her nose is bleeding. “Wynonna, your nose.”

“They’re gone.”

Those are the words Wynonna mumbles under her breath. She looks confused around her as if the answers about what had just happened can be found in her surroundings.

“And I’m just…” She looks at Waverly like she has just realized something.

“I don’t have it anymore. Bulshar did it. He broke the Earp curse.”

When Waverly processes what her sister said, her brain can’t handle everything at once. Everything was just too much and her mind just overloads.

First, she discovers that her sister banged her long-lost dad who is an angel, then Bobo confronts her about how he wants her to end him, which she did. Thirdly, the love of her life forgets the last year of her life and therefore, her as well and now is the curse that killed daddy, Willa, uncle Curtis, Dolls and has threatened her family so many times that she is surprised almost nobody got killed, has been broken by their enemy who was the cause of it all, over 120 years ago.

“Shit,” is the only thing Waverly can reciprocate.

After minutes of silence and contemplation, the sisters stand up and walk quietly to the Homestead.

Halfway home, Waverly speaks up.

“Nicole doesn’t remember me.” It comes out as a whisper and Wynonna barely catches it.

“I know,” Wynonna says just as quietly, looking down to avoid the sad look that she knows is on her sister’s face.

Waverly suddenly stops and it takes Wynonna a few more steps to realize she is the only one walking.

“I don’t know how to handle this. I love her some much and it just hurts to see her looking at me like I am just some random person. She was the first person to see me for who I am and who loves... loved everything about me, not just my body but also my mind. She used to look at me like I had hung the stars in the sky and now all of that is gone and there is no recognition whatsoever.” Waverly’s knees give out and Wynonna rushes to her.

And not for the first time is Waverly crying with someone hugging her tightly but they are not the arms she is hoping for. She already misses her so much. She misses small touches between them, the moments where the whole world just disappears and they are just looking into each other's eyes. The look Nicole gives when she rambles on and on, the strong arms wrapped around her when Waverly is down. But most importantly, Waverly misses the look Nicole gives her for just being there like she is the luckiest woman alive for being able to call Waverly hers.

When Waverly has no more tears left, Wynonna carefully pulls her on her feet and together they walk the short distance to the Homestead. Doc stands outside and when he spots the pair, he hurries and leads Waverly inside.

Wynonna is left outside and looks to the barn. She wonders if Nicole would want to be left alone or have someone to talk to. Knowing Nicole, Wynonna chooses for the latter and walks to the barn.

She knocks on the door when she notices Nicole is lost in thought.

Nicole looks up and when she recognizes Wynonna from an hour ago, she smiles sadly.

“Hi Wynonna, Are you okay? I don’t know what happened out there but it didn’t sound good.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Though looking around me, I think I’m the only one,” Wynonna ends softly.

They both know who Wynonna is referring to and they both know they can’t do anything about it.

Instead of hanging on to the guilt weighing on her, Nicole decides to ask some questions she has no idea how to answer.

“Who are you fighting against?”

“What?”

“After I woke up, there was a horn and a lot of gunshots. I thought about going outside but I didn’t know how much of a help I would be.” Nicole shrugs. “I also noticed you didn’t want to continue the story of my life earlier. Was that what you have been afraid of telling me? Who are you fighting against?”

Even though Nicole missed a year of her life, she was still very perceptive and figured that out by the smallest of things. If she hadn’t been annoyed, Wynonna would have been very impressed. But of course, Nicole did because even though they were starting to become good friends, Wynonna and Nicole rub each other the wrong way most of the time. And this time, it was no different.

“You want to short version or the long version?”

Nicole shrugs and Wynonna sighs. ‘Well, here goes nothing,’ Wynonna thinks. ‘And maybe this will help her remember something at least.’

“So, my name is Wynonna Earp, meaning Wyatt Earp was my great-great-grandfather. Our family has… had been cursed for more than 120 years and when the oldest child turns 27, they become the heir. The 77 outlaws that Wyatt Earp killed in his time come back to life and the curse is broken when all 77 are returned to hell by one heir.”

Wynonna looks at Nicole and smiles when she sees her stunned.

“You want the rest?”

“There is more?” Nicole asks in disbelief.

“Yep. The person who was behind to attack today was Bulshar.” Nicole then freezes. She doesn’t understand why but she knows that name and her mind just screams to run and forget that name.

Wynonna notices this and immediately regrets bringing him up. Even though Nicole doesn’t remember Purgatory, her unconsciousness remembers the massacre and recognizes Bulshar and now she has to relive those memories again because Wynonna didn’t think before speaking.

Nicole’s mind is running a hundred miles a minute and goes over every memory, trying to find out what Bulshar means to her. But before she can find it, Wynonna speaks again.

“I know you don’t feel up to speed but will you come to join me and drink some in the Homestead?”

“Uhm, sure.” Nicole stands up and walks out of the barn with Wynonna.

“I’ll see you there. I just need to speak with someone first.” Wynonna says before walking away.

Nicole walks through the door into the house and sees two men she doesn’t know sitting in the chairs around the fireplace.

They hear her come in and turn towards her.

“Hey, Nicole. I heard what happened. I’m Jeremy and this is my boyfriend Robin.” When he says the word boyfriend, Jeremy looks down and blushes a bit.

“Hi. I’m sorry. This is just a really odd situation and I have no idea how to respond to everything. My mind is just running a mile a minute and coming up with nothing. I feel like I have ended up in some sort of bad science fiction movie and I have no clue how I should act.” Nicole stops when she realizes she is rambling to a complete stranger. “I’m sorry. Again. I’m just very confused.”

Robin steps in. “It’s okay. I understand that it is hard for you and if there is anything we can do to help, just say it.”

“Thanks.” Whatever Nicole is about to say is interrupted by a door flying open.

Nicole turns around and sees Wynonna walking in, looking pissed off.

“Bring it in team Earp. Now please.” She moves towards the stairs. “Wave, can you come down here?”

There are muffled sounds from upstairs and Waverly comes down looking at the floor with her hands in her pockets. She walks straight to the kitchen and the others follow, all but Nicole.

“Are you coming?” asks Robin after noticing Nicole standing there, confused about what she should do.

“I’m part of team Earp?”

“Yeah.” Robin smiles sadly and Nicole hopes everyone would stop doing that. Everybody acts like she could break at every moment and lash out or like she is a small puppy who just got kicked. Treating her with pity just because nothing is working out. Just because she can’t remember, doesn’t mean that she is some hurt, scared animal in need of being helped at every turn.

They sit around the table and Wynonna is at the counter making some drinks.

Even though Waverly is sitting very close, Nicole feels like there is a wall between them. Waverly tries to avoid looking her way and is very closed off.

“So, what have you nerds come up with to stop Bulshar?” Wynonna asks suddenly.

Jeremy holds up a vial with a reddish liquid in it. “It’s a crypsis. I blendered Bulshar’s arm just to make it.” He says excitingly.

“Whoa, wait. Does he mean blended?” Waverly interrupts.

“No, he does not.” Robin answers

Nicole is not sure if she heard it correctly. “It’s crypsics?”

“Crypsis,” corrects Jeremy. “The ability of an animal to avoid detection by other animals.”

“Camouflage,” Robin adds.

“We need to coat ourselves in, well.” “Dab ourselves with.” The couple is trying to say it the best way.

“Wrap it up, nerds.”

“And the beekeepers won’t be able to see us.” “Which means that they can’t stop us.” “And we won’t. Not till Bulshar gets dead.” They high five after explaining although Nicole still doesn’t understand it.

“How are we gonna get him dead?” Wynonna put whiskey shots on the table. “The curse is broken. There is no Earp heir. I’m just a girl with a big ass… ass.”

Suddenly, Nicole thinks of a memory in a building she can’t remember. She is sitting on the floor, sharing a bottle of whiskey with Wynonna.

“You know, one time, Stephanie told me that I should think about getting a butt lift.” Wynonna scoffed

Tipsy Nicole was baffled by this. “What? Your ass is like… It’s top-shelf, man. It’s top-shelf.”

When had this happened? Was this one of the many memories she missed? Before she could think more about this, Jeremy starts talking again.

“Ay, this is good. There is usually a lot of vagina jokes.” He clinks his glass with Robin’s and they both drink their shots.

Nicole decides to do the same. She could use a bit of liquid courage.

“This would be the part of the movie where I should tell you that you should leave if you want to.”

“Yeah, well. We’re not going to.” Robin replies.

“Bulshar gave me one gift.” Nicole decides to ignore the feeling of dread in her stomach. “He showed me what I’m most afraid of.”

Waverly looks confused. “And what’s that?”

Wynonna looks around the table. “Losing you.” Her voice cracks up just a bit.

Jeremy speaks up again but it sounds like he had too much to drink. “Well, we’re all coming with…” Before he can finish his sentence, he falls off the chair onto the floor.

“Nah. You’re not.”

“You drugged us.” Robin manages to say before dropping his head onto the table.

“Yeah, pretty much.”

Nicole’s vision starts to blur and she can’t form a coherent thought. Her posture slacks and she falls off the chair.

The last thing she hears is Waverly, yelling her name.


	2. How would you handle everything?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's the second chapter. Not entirely satisfied because of the immense dialogue but I wanted you to be able to read more of the story. Also, don't expect another chapter until next week, unfortunately. I work a lot so I don't have a lot of time to write. As soon as the next chapter is finished, I will post it. Again, all errors are mine.

Nicole wakes up in an unknown bed and can hear someone shouting her name from downstairs. She steps out of bed and looks at the room she’s in. On the nightstand, there are two pictures, one of her with CJ and one with her and Waverly. She picks up the one with Waverly in it and stares at it because it seems weird. In the picture, Nicole looks happier than any other picture ever taken of her. But she doesn’t feel that way when she is around Waverly. Waverly is beautiful, there’s no doubt about it but Nicole doesn’t want to be more than friends. Waverly is kind and smart and lovely but Nicole doesn’t have feelings for her. There are no butterflies when she looks at her. She doesn’t want more like she wanted when she had met Shae. But this picture is proof that she had wanted it, and gotten it, with Waverly.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the voice from downstairs came again.

She puts the picture back on the nightstand and lifts herself off the bed. She notices that she is in the same clothes as last night.

Last night. Her last memory was falling off a chair. She fell off her chair after she got drugged by Wynonna. But why? Why would Wynonna drug her? They had talked like there was some battle approaching. Like someone was about to step up to their biggest fear and they might not return.

Nicole starts to question her previous year more and more. Where had she ended up? How had she gotten involved?

So many questions swerving around in her head but got interrupted when her name gets yelled a third time.

“Yeah, chill. I’m coming.”

She walks downstairs and sees a man, probably in his fifties, wearing a Stetson and petting CJ, though she doesn’t look very happy. She has never liked men very much.

“Ah, there you are. How are you? Have you gotten your head around everything happening in Purgatory?”

His voice sounds familiar but Nicole can’t place it.

“I’m better than yesterday but can’t say I’m great. Just very confused with what the hell this town is. I mean, I’m conscious for five minutes and there are already gunshots and people dying and then standing back up after a few minutes.” Nicole has always been very honest and wears her emotions on her sleeve and this hasn’t changed.

The man nods solemnly. “Hm. Purgatory can be very odd for an outsider, though for an insider as well. I would tell you what is going on but it is not my right to say.”

“Not to be rude or anything but who are you and why are you here?”

“Right, I’m Randy Nedley. I’m the sheriff in town, though not for long. I came by to feed Calamity and bring you to the hospital. The Earp sisters and I decided that it might be a good idea to get you checked out. See if there is any way to reverse your amnesia.”

“Do I get a say in this? I mean this is my health we’re talking about.”

Nedley is already walking towards the door. He turns around and looks at Nicole with a seriousness she hadn’t expected. “No. It is my duty to make sure that my staff is okay and since you aren’t officially sheriff, I still get to tell you what to do and right now I’m telling you to go with me to the hospital.”

Through the seriousness, Nicole can see fondness laying in his eyes that she couldn’t be from any form of work relationship. Another question added to her list: who is Randy Nedley and how were they connected besides work.

Giving in, Nicole grabs some shoes and a jacket and follows the sheriff to the squad car parked on the driveway.

The ride is spent in somewhat comfortable silence. When they walk into the hospital, the sisters are already in the waiting room. Almost in sync, they look up to see Nicole and Nedley standing in the doorway.

“Hey, Haughtstuff. You feeling a little better?” asks Wynonna, looking like she could sleep for weeks on end. Nicole wonders what has happened while she was out.

“Still haven’t got any idea what is happening in this town but I’m at least well-rested,” says Nicole, trying to make the best of the situation, as she always does. She always reasoned that looking at the bad things never helped in any way, so she tries to be as optimistic as possible.

She looks at Waverly. If Wynonna could sleep weeks, well than Waverly could sleep months. There are dark bags under her eyes and she looks rather pale. She has her arms wrapped around her and looks down like she always does when Nicole is in the room.

Waverly looks up a bit but still refusing to look into Nicole’s eyes. “We have arranged an appointment for you to look if there is any reason why you can’t remember the last year. If you don’t want that, that’s okay but we think that it is a good idea.”

Nicole sees a spark of hope in Waverly’s eyes and can’t possibly say no. She already feels so guilty for not remembering and noticed how Waverly is suffering because of it. She can’t refuse this and snuff out this small spark of hope. “Okay, I’ll do it. Do I get treated to ice cream after?” Nicole smiles teasingly, hoping to lighten the mood and see Waverly smile even if it is for a few seconds. And even though it was small and only there for a second, the smile relieves all the tension in Nicole’s body.

“If you pay, that can be arranged,” Wynonna winks and motions her head towards a corridor. “The doc said that you can go to the third door on the right and they will start their examination.”

“Thanks,” says Nicole with a small nod and walks towards the described door. There are already some doctors in the room, standing in front of an MRI machine.

“Ah, sheriff Haught. Come in.” A middle-aged man walks towards her and holds out his hand. “I’m doctor Brown and this is my team.” He points to the people standing behind him.

Nicole notices one nurse in particular. A small dark-haired woman, looking like she is in her end twenties. She looks curiously at Nicole, like she knows something’s up with her. Nicole looks back at the doctor.

“We will take an MRI to see if there is anything different in your brain that can explain your amnesia. So just change into this gown so we know there is no metal in any of your clothes and we’ll get started. You don’t have any metal in your body or any tattoos, right?” he asks while giving Nicole the hospital gown.

Briefly thinking of a phoenix tattoo on a less than appropriate place, Nicole quickly pushed that thought away before answering the question and walking towards the bathroom across the hall to change.

She walks back into the room covered by the not very flattering hospital wear and lies down on the machine. After a few minutes, it starts to make a harsh sound.

After what seems like hours, the noise stops and a nurse tells her to follow her to an empty room.

“We will analyze the images and tell you as soon as possible. You can stay here and I will tell your family that they can come and join you here.”

“Uhm, they’re just friends,” says Nicole quietly.

“Oh, okay. Then, I will tell your friends where you are,” the nurse smiles one last time and walks out of the room.

Within minutes, Nedley walks in with Doc close behind him and Nicole suddenly feels ice cold and dirty. Her breath catches in her throat like someone punches her chest.

Strong but slim arms carry her through a snow-covered forest. At least, that is what it feels and smells like. Nicole can’t see a thing and has just regained consciousness again. The person carrying her suddenly threw her down on the cold dirt and in the most malicious voice, Nicole heard “You’re the wrong kind.” Before being kicked and left to die in the snow.

Her breath becomes slow and she starts to lose the feeling in her hands and feet. The last thing she hears is the siren from a police car very close by.

She starts to breathe heavily while fear floods into her system and Nedley yells for someone to come check up on her. She barely notices when the nurse starts to examine her but when the Earp sisters run into her room, her eyes focus on the younger sister and the memory fades away. It’s still there but a strange sense of calmness relaxes her body.

Waverly looks extremely worried and like she wants to step in but for some reason, she doesn’t. Nicole thinks she wouldn’t have minded though but before she can explore that thought, she notices that the nurse is talking to her.

“…why you started hyperventilating?”

“What?” Nicole manages to say.

“Do you know why you started hyperventilating?” the nurse repeats calmly.

“I–“ The words just didn’t want to come out. How do you tell people who have been worrying about you since the moment you can remember them that you had a flashback where you were dying?

“I think I just remembered something,” says Nicole finally.

Everybody’s faces turn into a mixture of interest and worry about what memory she thought of.

“Do you think you can describe it?” the nurse asks carefully.

“It was cold and I was being carried through some sort of forest. I think. I couldn’t see it, just smell the forest around me.” Nicole pauses as she sees Doc look very serious suddenly. ‘Does he know what I am talking about?’

“I was thrown on the ground after a while. He kicked–“ Nicole feels the fear coming back. “He kicked me and said ‘you’re the wrong kind.’”

Nicole looks down and can’t continue with the fear raging in her chest.

She tries to calm down again and looks back at the people in the room. Everyone looks as serious as Doc, especially Wynonna when she mutters “Jack” with a pained expression Nicole thinks resembles her face as well but 10 times worse.

The room’s quiet and the tension is almost palpable. At that exact moment, the doctor comes in with a file, the results Nicole presumes.

The nurse notices him and quickly walks towards him, pushing him back to the hall. Nicole hears soft whispers and can understand enough to know that they are talking about the memory.

The whispers stop and both the doctor and the nurse walk back into the room.

“Ms. Haught, we have examined the results and there is nothing out of the ordinary.” He shows the pictures to the group before continuing. “Our first thought was to keep you in the hospital to examine you more but in light of recent events, I think it is best for you to rediscover your life. Maybe visit places you’ve gone to often and hopefully it will trigger some other memories.”

Nicole slowly nods before gathering her stuff and walking out of the room. The only need right now was to curl into a ball on her bed with Calamity Jane purring beside her.

She vaguely hears her name being yelled behind her but doesn’t turn around until she’s on the parking lot and realizes that her car was back at her house since she was driven by the sheriff.

Doc walks up to her.

“Are you okay? I was there when you remembered it the first time and this didn’t look anymore pretty.”

“I’m fine,” Nicole says annoyed and rubs her forehead. “Why can’t everyone just mind their own damn business? Everyone acts like I am sick or that there is something wrong with me! There isn’t, I’m just fine! I’m sorry that this is happening but there is nothing I can do about it and everyone acts like I can! Like the doctor can help me but look how that turned out! I am no further into knowing anything about my life here and I just had a panic attack while remembering that I almost died! How the fuck is that helpful?” Halfway through her monologue, she had started screaming and some people around them have started staring.

“Miss Haught, I know this might seem very unreal-“

Before he could end his sentence, Nicole interrupts him, too frustrated at everything that has happened the last 24 hours to listen to reason.

“No, you don’t! You don’t know because I am the one who can’t remember the last year! I am the one people pity! I am the one who woke up yesterday in a world with demons and Bulshar, a name that frightens me to the core for a reason that I’m unaware of!”

“You are right,” Doc replies calmly. This throws Nicole off her game enough for Doc to continue. “What I do know is what it is like to arrive in a world you do not know. I lived in a well for well over a century.” He pauses when he notices the puzzled look on Nicole’s face. He lets out a small laugh and resumes. “I was given immortality by a witch who then trapped me there. When I finally climbed out, I stumbled into a world where horses were replaced by cars, everyone was staring at small devices in their hand and everything was going so much faster than in the past. I had to learn how to adjust to this new world. The Earp sisters have helped me greatly in this adjustment. And I think that if you were to listen, they could do the same to you.”

After finishing, he turns his back to her and walks back towards the hospital just when Nedley walks to his car. Nicole just stands there, thinking over what Doc just told her. Before she could though, the sheriff looks her over and points to his car.

“Are you getting in or are you just gonna stand there all day?”

Snapping out of her thoughts, she gets into the car and just like the way to the hospital, the way back is spent in comfortable silence. He drives onto the driveway and stops in front of the door.

Nedley turns to Nicole. “I know this is a lot but if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.” He gives a sympathetic looking smile before Nicole leaves the car. She walks into the house and is greeted by the one thing she does remember, CJ.

“Hey, buddy.” The cat greets her with a meow back. “How are you? I know I feel awful and am in favor of crashing on the couch with a movie. What do you think?”

Nicole almost thinks her cat can understand her because CJ turns around and plants herself on one of the cushions on the couch. She grabs a soda from the fridge and when she starts up Netflix, she discovers that there are seven seasons of Orange Is the New Black. She sighs knowing she has a lot of catching up to do and not just on her new social life.

She watches a couple of episodes before her phone rings. Checking who it is, she decides to let it go to voicemail. She didn’t want to deal with Wynonna right now.

“Hey Haughtstuff, I just wanted to check in seeing how you basically bolted out of the hospital. I can understand that you have a lot of questions. If you have nothing to do, meet me at Shorty's at 3 and I'll try to answer them. Uhm… yeah, see ya then. I hope.”

While she doesn’t feel up to seeing the common looks she got, all Nicole wants is to get answers in this weird town so after some cuddling with CJ to calm her nerves, she jumps in the car to realize that she has no clue which way to go and what Shorty’s actually is. Thanks to modern times, she finally found herself outside of the saloon just after 3 o’clock. Stepping inside the facility, her eyes focus on the slightly familiar couple in one of the booths. A little reluctant but also glad to see a friendly face, she walks up to the booth. Robin spots her first.

“Hey Nicole. How are you doing?” 

And even though she feels like she has been asked that question a hundred times today, this is the first time Nicole doesn’t see the pity and worry that everyone has. It feels freeing and like she can finally breathe normally for the first time since she woke up in this strange town.

“Hey. I’m as good as can be expected I guess. How are you? I hope the drug hadn’t had any effect on you guys.”

“Jeremy here fell on his head so had a pretty bad headache this morning but other than that we’re fine. As for you? Any reason to need some booze?” Robin teased.

Nicole notices that Jeremy has been very quiet but chooses to ignore it so they can have the first normal conversation of the last days.

“I’m sorry to hear that Jeremy. I hope the headache has stopped.” And Nicole really means it. Even though she still has no idea who the guy was, she realizes that it is a pretty weird situation they are all in and they’re all making the best of it. “As for me, I don’t have any lasting effect, just woke up really weird with the memory loss and everything.”

Right at that moment, the doors of the bar slams open and Wynonna Earp walks in with a sword strapped around her waist. She immediately locks upon the three in the booth and walks up to them. 

“Hi guys. Everything alright?” And without waiting for an answer she announces “I’m gonna take Nicole away from you, okay?”

She guides Nicole to the booth in the back of the building and sits down before quickly standing up.

“If I’m gonna have this conversation, I’m gonna need a drink. You want something?”

Nicole shakes her head and looks after Wynonna walking up to the bar. She comes back with an amber liquid, presumably whiskey and flops back on the bench in front of Nicole. An awkward silence settling over them.

“So… What do you want to know?” Wynonna asked after a minute.

Nicole ponders the question. She has so many, how could she pick one?

“Okay. What happened last night? Why was I drugged and who are you fighting against? I mean you said you were fighting…” Nicole again freezes when she realizes what name it is she is about to say. Without knowing why she avoids to say it. “him but why? I just don’t get it.”

“So I told you that my great-great-grandfather was cursed and everything, right? Well, the one who cursed him was Bul- the one we were fighting. He came back and wanted to get into paradise, aka the Garden of Eden to destroy humanity. So of course, I had to defeat him, as you do. What you experienced yesterday was like the final battle, the boss level in a video game. He needed my blood to get into the Garden and he got it. I realized that when I would leave the Homestead that it was up or under. Either we would win or he would get into the Garden. Waverly and I defeated him last night by the use of this.” Wynonna grabs her sword. “This is- was my trusted gun Peacemaker. It had the ability to revenants back to hell but the big bad ended the curse yesterday, so yeah.”

Wynonna remains quiet for a minute, pondering what all happened within the last 24 hours.

“So Waverly and I brought the fight to him yesterday after I drugged you guys. I would say sorry but I don’t regret what I did. He was at the stairs and I won’t bore you with all the details but after some fighting, I stabbed Peacemaker through his heart, whether he has one is a second thing. Since he was the snake… Oh, right you don’t know that.” Wynonna looks sheepishly back at Nicole before continuing. “In the original Adam and Eve, there is a snake that tempts them to eat the apple, right? Well, that is a true story and the demon we fought was the actual snake. So he bit me and while I was laying there dying, Doc sucked the poison out of me using his fangs. He’s a vampire. Waverly was standing on the stairs when these weird tentacles came from the Garden, wrapping around her legs. Luckily, Julian came back, just in time to sever the vines and to save his daughter, he went into the Garden. The door closed and vanished. Eventually, we went back to the Homestead and slept for a few hours before we went to the hospital for you. The rest you know.”

Both staying in silence after the explanation. Nicole’s mind feels like bursting with all the information. 

“Why does this feel like a fantasy story? So you’re telling me you are a demon slayer with a gun turned sword, Doc is a vampire, Julian is Waverly’s father and you all were fighting a snake who came from paradise?”

“Yeah, that sums it up,” Wynonna says like this is the most normal story on the planet.

Without saying anything else, Nicole stands up and walks back to the entrance, leaving Wynonna watching her walk away.

“Where are you going?”

Nicole turns around and walks back but doesn’t sit back down. “I’m going home. This story is the weirdest thing I’ve ever heard. I’ve got two options. Either I believe you, that would mean that we’re all in danger and I would like to stay alive. So then I choose to stay away from you all. If you need help with anything normal you can find me but I won’t do supernatural. The other option is that you are lying. That would mean that you are insane enough that you thought of the utterly crazy story and expect me to believe you. Then I would call you insane and hope that I won’t have anything to do with you. And just to clarify, I am now more leaning towards believing you because you don’t look like the person who could make this shit up but then I stand by my decision to leave before I get caught up in all this crazy bullshit. Later on, we could maybe be something resembling friends but right now I have to sort my life out and getting involved with any supernatural shit just isn’t something I want. So have a nice day.”

Giving Jeremy and Robin a small smile and a wave, Nicole turns around and walks out of the saloon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked it. Sorry if the dialogue was off-putting, I hope to put more action/progress in the next chapter. For anyone who would like to talk about anything Wynonna Earp related or ask something about my fic, you can find me on tumblr at chasermist and on twitter at @Chasermist1 I would love to talk.


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